It's entirely possible to love and hate London with ferocious, equal intensity. On good days, you're invincible. Because you're there, and you're living your dream. On bad days, you want to tumble over the edge of the world: frustrated, perplexed and fiercely clutching your Vegemite jar. Tomorrow, you'll rise, determined to endure.

No doubt about it - Christmas creeps up on us just that much faster each year, don't you think? Every year, us POMs (Brits) always muse (occasionally with a 'soupcon' of a whinge) about how Christmas in Australia just isn't the same. Not just because of the weather.

I have always dreaded the question "Where are you from?" For me there are only two options. I can um and ah and seem horrendously self-obsessed. Alternatively I can spare myself the hassle and just go for the easiest, least controversial option: I'm from Birmingham. What a copout...

After one year of living in Los Angeles, here I was - back visiting London for 2 weeks. Home. I was noticing things I'd never noticed before. No, not just noticing, but in their comforting familiarity I found them to be exquisite.

As exciting as it can be, moving abroad also brings an endless to-do list with it, and transferring money overseas is just one of the challenges you'll face as a new expat. Failing to devise a plan for this early on can end up costing you unnecessarily, but what are the most important things to consider?

Almost two years ago now, I left that big mass of sun-scorched land down-under for the city which has now been ranked the world's most expensive to live and work in, according to a survey by global estate agents Savills.

Denmark and Gran Canaria are both pretty insular. On Gran Canaria, the gene pool's more of a dipping pond. Mellish refers to the blue-eyed boys and girls of monoculture Denmark where between 5 and 10 percent of the population aren't derived from Danish stock.

In the Hong Kong district of Sham Shui Po, Kowloon side, the market stalls play host to many a social gathering. Groups of older men, stylish in aviators, crisp white, or pastel, short-sleeved shirts and tailored trousers, stand in a cloud of imperial leather, discussing, well...I rarely know. But sometimes there's a clue in the shape of racing forms being passed around, or a grandchild being proudly held aloft - a champion at a sporting event.

Wherever you've moved to, be it somewhere in Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa or Oceania, you're guaranteed to have an incredible adventure, but there may be some surprises along the way. Breaking the language barrier and staying in touch with family and friends are two such challenges that you might face on a regular basis.

There's just something about Paris, isn't there? The enchantingly grand buildings, the deliciously gourmet food, the feel of romance floating through the air; it's a city that Francophiles all over the world dream of calling home. But is it time to make that dream a reality?

With space finite and demand for it high, the city's towers are not only for banks and flats, but often host a hotchpotch of tailors, jewellers and iron mongers living harmoniously side by side. As the number of red lanterns decorating the city increased in anticipation of Chinese New Year, the possibilities for urban exploration seemed endless.

Moving abroad can be stressful, that much is obvious, but when you're about to leave home some arrangements come more naturally than others. While I managed to hold a leaving party before moving to Hong Kong, some things, such as organising the shipment of important possessions, fell by the wayside. Oh well - who needs a change of clothes anyway?

It's Australia Day this weekend and some of the biggest gatherings of antipodeans will be happening right here in London. It's become a second home to many young Aussies. But what is it about this city that draws so many of us in when we so readily revel in tormenting the English cricket team? How can we declare our love, when we proudly declare that our lifestyle of balmy weather and beaches is to be envied by London Brits who covet grey skies and enduring winters?

Think about everything you ever learned about queueing - from early memories at theme parks where kids who queue-jump get escorted in shame by staff to the back of the line, to the sniggers and muttered words directed at adults who attempt to cut a queue - and forget it all.

So there we all were, tucking in to a delicious roast beef, enjoying our Sunday lunch, discussing the terrible weather with my American friends. And as they started talking about American Football I went and spoiled it all by asking something stupid like "so what's your favourite Superbowl food? Is there a top 5?"

Many expats don't return home, but this is not necessarily due to perpetual wanderlust or adventure-seeking. Residing abroad can also be motivated by a particular fear. This fear is not politically, culturally, or emotionally rooted. It is a fear of what our expat lives have done to our resumes.

After a lifetime of working in Britain, paying taxes and mandatory National Insurance contributions, many pensioners wish to spend their retirement overseas, often joining family, or returning to their country of origin. On the face of it this is a fair wish for those who have contributed to the economy for so long.

Often the issues of identity and loss become key, especially if expats frequently relocate to different countries and settings: Who am I? Where is home? How do others perceive me? Do I want to fit it, and how can I do that, without losing aspects of my identity, which are important to me?

Just 5 weeks ago I wrote about how hard it was to watch them struggling each day. Since then they have moved with unexpected ease from a 9 - 1.30pm day (summer hours) to a 9 - 4.30pm day. Even the 5 year old who had only ever been to playschool in Ireland until 12.30 has been thrown in the deep end. But they have coped admirably.

Ahead of 'The Amsterdam Trip' here at Urban Nerds spent some valuable time to interview a young artist who has made his trip to Amsterdam permanent. We took the time to understand the transition, discover the culture and unfold influences behind Joe's art.

I really wanted to capture what daily life is like for a foreigner based in Brazil. What is different about this enormous nation compared to living in many other places or even back in the UK? What is important to know before you make the decision to move here?

This Independence Day when all those around me will be raising their beers celebrating the separation of America from Great Britain I will be raising a mug of good ole PG tips in honour of both glorious Great Britain, my former homeland, and America - my new home.